mclean



Jan. 24, 1928.

L. O. MCLEAN RETARDING CONVEYER SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 51, 1935 ATTORNEYS. i

m a Q 4M BYf Jan. 24,1928.

1,656,920 L. O. M LEAN RETARDING CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Jan. 1.925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill) Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES LELAND OWENS MGLEAN, OFPITTSB'URGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RETARDING- CONVEYEE SYSTEM.

Application filed January This invention relates to improvements in retarding con'veyers such as used in mines, mills and the like for controlling the flow of materials as coal, ore and stone during the gravity flow of same in inclined chutes and the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel retarding conveyer which shall be simple in construction, eilicient in operation and which because of its low cost of manufacture and installation can readily be adapted to mines having a low capacity or output.- Heretotore, retarding conveyors were made in several well known designs, among them being belt conveyers, steel apron conveyer, chain and flight conveyers, rope and disk conveyers, and balanced monitors or cars, but all these systems or equipments have been costly and compli cated so that the original cost and installation together with the high maintenance cost became prohibitive for installation by low capacity mines and mills. While my improved retarding system is comparatively simple in design, construction andoperation, there is no loss of any. advantage or function inherent in the other systems enumerated, rather, the simplicity attained is a desirable obvious advantage.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a retarding system which requires no extraneous power such assteam or electric motor.

Another object of this invention is found in the movable, brake controlled, counterweighted retarder which is arranged. to gradually lower the mass of material within the .iiiclined chute from an elevation point to a lower point or storage bin.

A still further object of my invention resides in the relative arrangement of the drums for the retarder and counterweight cables which permits the use of a compara tively smaller drum for the counterweight cable, thus decreasing materially the length oi the track for the preferable form of counterweight, here shown as a weighted car. It is obvious that where space permits, the weighted car could readily be substrtuted by a vertically movable counterweight of any suitable form.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel arrangement, combination, and construction of the parts and members shown in the accompanying drawings, described inthe following special, 1925. Serial No. 5,966.

fications and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring tothe illustrations, which show one embodiment of my invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts in section, showing my invention as applied to a mine car dump and employed for lowering the dumped material to a storage bin at the foot of the gravity chute.

Fig. 2, is a plan view of the retarder and counterweight drums showing the brake control:

Fig. 3, is a plan view of the retarder.

Fig. at is a side elevation of the brake control lever;

Fig. 5 shows a side elevation, in part section, of a modified form of retarder.

Referring to the illustrations, indicates an inclined chute of wood, steel or any other suitable material, supported on the posts 11 and having in this instance a storage bin 12 at its lower end to receive the material which is gradually conveyed from the upper dumping point 13 which is provided with a dump 1d pivoted at 15 to permit the tilting of the mine car 16 into dumping or discharge position. The bin 12 may be pr0- vided with a gate controlled discharge chute 17 or with any other leading device suitable forcontrolling the discharge from the bin 12. In some cases, it will be readily apparent that the storage 12 may be omitted and that the material may be discharged directly from the inclined chute 10 into a railroad car or other vehicle without temporary storage as here provided.

'lhe retarder 18 comprises a base 18* mounted on. the wheels 18' which travel on the tracks 19. allelly with the floor 10 01' the chute 10 from the dumping point but are disposed angularly therefrom from the lower point 19 over thestorage bin for the purpose of permitting the retarder 18 to by-pass the material or to allow the coal or other material to escape under the retarder for discharge into the storage bin.

The material during its flow by gravity en the chute bottom 10 is confined by the chute sides 1G and is retained by the retaining wall 18 which is supported by suitable trame work 18 on the base 18 The retarder cable 20 may be secured to the retarder 18 at the front wheel axle or to the base 18 or any other point thereon where it will be permitted to trail close to The tracks 19 extend parfit the chute bottom 10**. The upper end of the cable is secured to a preferably large drum 21 which is rigidly mounted on the shaftoarried by the bearings 23 on auituble supporting structural members The flange 21 of the drum 21 is slightly widened for engagement by the steel. brake band 25 the ends and 25" of which are secured to the lower end of the operating lever :20. A notched segment 27 and spring-pressed release lever 26" provide for retaining the operating bralie lever Lt) in loose or braking position whereby the re tarder 1S positively controlled during its downward movement by the pressure of the material on the retaining wal 154"".

For purposes of counterbalancing the retarder 1S and for returning same to the upper position I provide a traveling or movable counterweight, here shown in the form of a weighted car 28 mounted on tracks :29 and connected with a cable 30 to a small drum 31 also rigidly mounted on the shatt It is now apparent that with the retarijler 1.8 in the upper position that the same will remain in such position upon receiving the mass of material. dumped from the car 16 at the dumping position until the operating lever 26 is moved to release the brake band 25 which will release the retarder 18 to move downwardly while the counterweight 28 moves upwardly to its uppermost position which corresponds with the lowermost position of the retarder 18. The drum 31 is made smaller in diameter to alt'ord a. shorter trav- 01 for the counterweight 28 which ell'ccte a saving in the length of the tracks 29. After discharging its lead the retarder 18 is returned toloadinu position by the descent of the counterweight .28 and such operation is also obviously controlled by the lever l teferrin now to the modification SllOWIl in Fig. 5, the retarder 15 in this instance is provided with a pair at wheels 18 which are elevated above the wheels 18 and supported from the retaining wall 18 and are adapted to engage an elevated tracl: 32 which is slightly inclined to lower the re tarder as lo gradually rcleas ies its load dur ing its descent and pivotal turning :icliou about the wheels 18*.

My retarder can also be operated without the use ol any elevated tracks 19 or 32 by simply making the wall 18 steep enough to discharge the material thereon by gravity through a by-pass gate 33 which could be provided in the floor l0 as shown by the dotted lines in Fig.

I claim:

1. A retarding conveyor 'lor lowerimr nae terials by gravity, comprising a support lor the material to be lowered, means for COI1 trolling the movement of said support, means for bodily tilting said support during its downward movement to incline the material supportin lloor thercoii for discharging said material from said sup mrh and means lior rcturingr said support to an elevated loading position.

L. .ilr retarding conveyor for lowering materials in an inclined chute by 'ravity, comprising a support tor tho u'iati lill to lo lowered, meaue tor controlling the ium'cmont of said support, means for bodily tilting said support during its downward movement to incline the material supi uu-lina' lloor theirolf :tor l'tllllltlllll" said material from said support for dii largo below said uupport, and means :l'or returning eaid supportto the elevated loading position.

:3. all retarding: ronvcyur 'l'or lowering materials in an iiutlincd chute by gravity cone prising a aupport l'or the material to be low cred, means for controlling; the movement of said support at deaired variable speeds means for bodily tilting aaid nupport during its downward movement to incline the matoi'ial i-upportiugr lloor lhcrcoi i'or releasing maid material from aaid aupport Ll'or diecharge lelow uaid oupport, and means lol returning said support to the elevated load ing position.

A ietardiug conveyor li'or lOWlillIlg mained cliuta by gravity, comterials in an incl prirdng a support tor the uuitorial [o be. loworoth means lfor i-ruitrolliug the movement of said support, means :lfor roleaeiugr said material :lrom said support including an old rated tracl: for guiding said support from the normal path oi aaid malarial to pcrinit its diet-barge below the support, and means tor cturuing said support to the elevated leading position.

A retarding conveyor ilor lowrring materials .iu an inclined chute by gravity, compriuing a support tor the material to be low-- cred, means for controlling the movement of eaid support, means for releasing said ma torial from said support iurluiiling an ch vated traclc portion adapted to receive and guide said aup iairh pivotal union: on said aiuiiport adapted to said elevated tract: portion l'or p'" ly carrying said aupport during; its arcualo movement in gradually releasing the material, and means Ll'or roturuiiu said supports 'l'roni Hillll alrvated tract: portion to the elevated loading position.

6, It retarding conveyor :for lowering materials by gravity, conipriaing a support for the material to be lowered frictional means for (:onti'olliiu" the movement of said .-ll|)- port, means 'lor bodily tilting said support durim; its downward nuiveuuuit to incline the material supporting" lloor thereof for diaeluirging said material from said support, and means for returning said support to an elevated lOlltlll'lQ position.

7. A retarding coi'iveyer 'lor lowering; materials in an inclined chute by gravity coulprising a support for the material to be lowered, frictional means for controlling the movement of said support means for bodily tilting said support during its downward movement to incline the material supporting floor thereof for releasing saidmaterial from said support for discharge below said sup-v )ort a counterwei 'ht for returnin 'said su l a o port to the elevated loading position, and differential mechanism connected with said support and said counterweight Whereby said counterweight travels a comparatively shorter distance than said support.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

LELAND OXVENS MoLEAN. 

